Childhood friends Bob Brosseau, Dan Parot and Mike Lemieux started the only Vermont chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace in June of 2019. The inspiration came after Bob watched an episode of the web series “Returning the Favor,” which featured the nonprofit. SHP has built more than 60,000 beds for kids ages 3 to 17 and has 241 chapters across the country and world. Its simple mission: "No kid sleeps on the floor in our town."

The Chittenden County chapter meets twice a month to build beds for Vermont kids at a workshop in Essex Junction. A number of local organizations contribute materials and bedding. This month marks a momentous occasion: The chapter's 500th bed was delivered to a family in South Burlington.

The recipients of the 500th and 501st beds have their own important milestone to celebrate. Rachel White recently moved into a new apartment in South Burlington with her young daughter after living in the Lund Family Center for 14 months. Rachel's two sons visited her at Lund on the weekends, but COVID-19 put a stop to their stays and delayed her exit from the program. It’s been three long years since the boys shared a home with Rachel, and now they get to move into “Mommy’s new house.”

On a Tuesday morning, Bob and the SHP gang assembled two wooden beds in Rachel’s apartment and made them up with mattresses, sheets, homemade quilts and Star Wars-themed bedding. A few days later, the boys arrived at their new home and gleefully took possession of their new beds.

Read this story about the group in Kids Vermont.

Music: The Great North Sound Society, “Playdate”

Quincas Moreira, “Ballerina”

Video & Photos courtesy: Jerry Wood, Vermont chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace

Filming dates: 1/10/21 & 1/12/21

This episode of Stuck in Vermont was supported by New England Federal Credit Union.